Purple Flowers

This year i have focused on edible gardening, next year i would like to get some flowers going for my partner. She loves the colour purple so i am interested mostly in purple flowered plants. I have to spots for them, firstly a long thin bed that is 2 foot off the ground, backed by decorative concrete blocks. And a corner bed low to the ground and about 2meters squared. Both are partial shade. I am going to enrich their soils over winter with organic matter. I am happy to plant in large pots as well for any full sun requirements. My whole garden seems to be very windy but there are protected spots in these beds.

So any recommendations, i am happy to plant from seed, inexpensive is good but i am happy to consider other things. I have lots to learn but some starting places would be excellent.

 

Hi there

I love purple plants ... here are a few of my favourites.

Verbena bonariensis - tall, airy stems which seldom need supporting (to me, there is nothing worse than a gardenful of unfortunates tied to the stake) and clusters of mauve flowers throughout the summer and well into September. Easy from seed or cuttings. Bees and butterflies love it. It really needs a sunny spot, but copes with some shade.

Lavender - another sun lover, so perhaps best as a pot plant for you. So much choice - there is the traditional 'English' lavender and the gorgeous Lavendula stoechas (French lavender). Downderry lists loads of nice varieties http://www.downderry-nursery.co.uk/ at reasonable prices.

Aquilegia - aquilegias are shade lovers and come in a range of colours including vivid purple. Worth buying some in flower, so you can see exactly what you're getting. They seed themselves easily.

Hardy geranium 'Birch's Double'. A lovely plant with double blue-purple flowers in summer. It grows to about 30 cm in height and will be happy in partial shade.

 

Some great Dahlia's and clematis.

Have a look here: http://www.best4plants.co.uk/browse.aspx?CatID=88

 

Lythrum Salicaria - tall plant, lovely pink/purple flowers and does fine in shade/damp.

The best purples though come from Alliums, especially Purple Sensation. They don't bloom for long, but a staggered planting of the bulbs over a few weeks in autumn might work in giving you a longer flowering period.

 

I just this minute placed a order for Petunia Orchid-Flowered Mixed F1 - 42 plugs for £9.99 at T&M, nice mix of pinks and purple.

Also added the Chelsea Flower Show Celebrationfor £4.99 which included:

5 x mixed Geranium 'Skyrocket' plants
5 x mixed Petunia 'Surfinia' plants
5 x Fuchsia Double plants including 'Southgate', 'Swingtime' and 'Dark Eyes'
£10's worth of Thompson & Morgan vouchers
FREE RHS Chelsea Flower Show DVD

£14.98 Delivered!!! great offer incase someone else was interested.